To william



y y 2 Asheai-,--slmet2i C. T. SHEPARD.- -POLDINGBBDSTEAD AND GRIB (No Model.)

Patented'eb;19,1884.

"Z 2 @f is l IUNTTED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

CHARLES T. SHEPARD, OF ALBANY, NEV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM APPLETON, JR., OF SAME PLACE.

FOLDING BEDSTEAD AND CRIB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 293,796, dated February 19, 1884.

Application sied time 5, isss. (No model.)

To all whom it bury concern:v

Be it known that I, CHAnLEs T. SHEPARD, a-citizen of the United States, residing at Albany, in the county of Albany'and State of New York, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Folding Bedsteads and Cribs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of folding bedsteads and cribs in which the supporting- IO legs are folded up against the sides of the bedframe and the end boards are folded down over the same when it is to be placed out of the way beneath a standing bedstead, or is to be stowed away, and when used the legs and end boards will be m'ade to stand vertical.

My invention consists of the combination of parts and devices hereinafter described and set forth; and the objects of my invention are to produce a neat, strong, and handsome bedstead or crib at small expense, which will be adapted to have its end boards and legs foldedto the bed-frame, so as to reduce its vertical height, that it may be readily run beneath a standing bedstead when not used 5 and also to provide means by which an operator will, by

simply turning down the end boards, fold the legs up at the sides of the bed-frame, and by reverse movement of the end boards turn the legs from a folded to avertical position. I attain these objects by means of the mechanism illustrated in the drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bedstead or crib embodying my improvement when in position for use, with parts broken away to 3 5 show the interior mechanism. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same when the parts are folded together. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the side of the bedstead or crib, with the shield-bracket broken and exposing 4O..the operative mechanism. Fig. 4: is avertical sectional view taken at line No. 1 in Fig. 3. ,Fig 5 is a view taken on horizontal line No. 2 in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken at line No. 3 in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a view of the wear-plate of the legs. Fig. 8 is a view of the gear-plate of the folding end boards. wear-plate of the folding legs, and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the shield-bracket.

The same letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

' gear or gear-section c, connected or made with Fig. 9 is a view of the gear-plate and` 4 and 9, and said wear-plate coacts Vwith the In the drawings, A represents the bed-frame, which frame is composed of end rails, c a, and side rails, a c', secured firmly together, so as make their joints at the corners of the frame firm and rigid. The end boards, B B, colnpose the head-board and end board, and are so pivoted to the bed-frame at` the corners thereof and from the sides of the samel as to be readily folded down from vertical positions shown in Fig. 1 to horizontal positions in Fig. 2. The end boards, B B', have securely connected with them brackets b b, which are set apart to a distance equal to the width of the bed-frame, outside measure, and they are pivoted to the frame, as at e, while the legs are pivoted to 4these brackets b may be made of cast-iron and have the gears cast solid with them. Eachof the legs C has secured, to its upper end a gear or gear-section, c', of the same radius as the the brackets of the end boards. When these legs are made of cast metal, gears c may be cast solid with them. These legs with their gear are pivoted to the bed-frame at points relatively below the pivots of the respective bracketsof the end boards, and relatively on the same vertical lines, so that when each end board is moved the gear on their respective brackets will actuate the gear on the respective legs and effect a corresponding movement of the latter in direction opposite to the move ment of the end boards, and when the end boards are securedin an upright position, the gears will ,coact together to lock the legs in an upright position.` i

`Made with the leg gear-plate clis a wearplate, f, made, preferably, with an annular grooved or recessed form, as shown in Figs.

I OO wear-plate F, which wear-plate (shown in Fig.

7).is secured in a circular recess, r, made in the side of the side rail of the bedfrani e, as posed of slats and having springs connecting shown in Fig. 4. This wear-plate F is made with a circular or annular projection corresponding in diameter and form withthe re- 5 cessed groove inade in wear-platef of gearplate c'.

Secured to the corners of the bed-frame and over the pivoted ends of brackets b and legs C are shield-brackets G, which shield-blackio ets are made, preferably, of nietal and with the form substantially of an angle-plate, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and l0. lVhen in position over the joints of the legs and end-board brackets, the said shield-bracket is secured by screws passing through holes h h, inade in portion g,

to the end rails of the bediranie, and to the side rails oi' the frame, by bolt passing through portion g', and a stud, g2, cast with or laid to the metal of said portion of the shield-bracket.

Cast solid with each shield-bracket G are the cylindrical projections c c', which are the pivots on which the end-board brackets b and legs C respectively turn. The said projectionsor pivots are made to project from the inner Side surface of this shield-bracket, as

shown in Fig. l0, and are preferably iliade with a large diameter-say about one inch, more or less, as may be preferred. 'When these shield-brackets are in place at the corners of the bedfframe and over the joints of the legs and endboard brackets, as illustrated in Figs. l and 2, the projections or pivots c e', cast with said shieldbracket,will pass through each bracket l) and its attached gear-plate c 5 and each leg C and its attached gear plate e',

having wear-plate f, and the wear-plate F, and will enter into a recess made in the side of the side rail of the frame, as shown in Fig. et; and when said shield-bracket is firmly secured in 4o place by bolt il and screws t" t, the bracket of the end lboards and leg at each corner of the bed-fran1e will be securely geared together,and

their joints will be covered from view.

Pivoted to the end rails of the bed-frame,

at about their iniddle of length, is latch-butlton H, as shown in Fig. l, and secured to the end boards, directly over the pivot of the said'latch-button, is a wear-plate or keeper, H', having its face preferably made with a 5e slight incline, though it may be inade plane.

A slot is made in each end rail of the bedfraine, forming hand-handles m, by which the ends of the bcdstcad or crib may be lifted. If preferred, projecting handles secured to 5 5 these end rails may be substituted for the slots.v Caster-wheels n are provided 011 the ends of the legs, for facilitating' the 1novement of the crib or bcdstcad from place to place when standing erect for use. Casterowheels a are also provided on the rear side of the legs at a point between their ends, for convenience of trundling the crib or bedstead from place to place when its parts are folded together.

5 Suspended within the bed-frame from bars J, one at each end, is a bed-bottoni, K, coinsaid slats to the end supporting-bars.

lVhen the bcdstcad or crib is to be folded for placement beneath a bcdstcad, the operator will lift, successively, each end of' the crib or bcdstcad by handle on, and turn the end boards down over the bed-frame, as shown in Fig. 2, and while the said end boards are be ing turned on their pivots c, t-he gear-plates c will revolve on their respective pivots and actuate gear-plates c on the legs C, andl cause them to be," folded inward and upward against the sides of the side rails of the bedfraine, when the end boards and legs will be compactly folded with the same, as shown in Fig. 2, and may be readily trundled to beneath a standing bcdstcad on easter-wheels u. When this bcdstcad or crib is to be opened. out and inade to stand erect, the operator will lift with one hand, by handle m, each end of the crib successively, and, when lifted, 11e will, with the other hand, turn the end boards up to vertical position, as shown in Fig. 1, and while said end boards are being turned up their attached gear will actuate those on the legs and cause the said legs to turn back and outward to vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2. The operator will then turn latchbuttons H to over and against the keeper H', and thereby lock the said end boards in a vertical position and hold them from being accidentally turned down. lVhen the end boards are in vertical position, the rear sides of their brackets will be supported by the portion f/ of the shield-bracket G', and the rear sides of the legs will be supported against the same portion of said shield-bracket, and will beheld from being turned outward past a perpendicular, while the latch-buttons will hold the end boards, and, through the gears, also hold the legs vertical. The wear-plates F, secured in the recesses made in the side rails of the frame, co-operate with the wearplates made in the gear-plates c to relieve the pivots e', on which the legs turn, from excessive strain, which these pivots would otherwise sustain. lf preferred, the bracketshield may be omitted in some eases, and the legs and brackets of the end boards may be pivoted direct to the side rails by simple pins secured to said side rails.

The gear-plates may be modified in form from that shown, and the gear-cogs may be,

secured to the end edges of legs C and brackets b, if preferred.

Having described niy invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is Y 1 In a folding bcdstcad or crib, plate G, provided with pivot e', and wear-plates F and f, in combination with bed-frame A and leg IOO IIO

C, substantially as and forv the purpose set forth.

2. In a folding bcdstcad or crib, plates G, provided each with pivots c and c, set relatively on-the saine vertical line, and having perforated stud g2, in combination with bedan end board having brackets, and folding Io frame A, an end board having end brackets legs, both provided with gears, as set forth, provided with gear, and leg C, provided with and pivoted upon pivots e e', substantially as gear, as described, substantially as and for the and for the purpose described.

5 purpose set forth. V 3. In a folding bedstead or crib, the.con1 CEAS T' SHEPARD.'

Y bination, with a bed-frame, of plate G, pro- Vitnesses:

vided With a perforated right-angular flange, ALEX. SELKIRK, g, and with pivots e e and perforated stud g2, CHARLES SELKIRK. 

